Rebate card system

Abstract

A method and system for using a rebate card are disclosed. The method may comprise initiating a purchase transaction for one or more products at a point of sale, determining whether the purchase transaction qualifies for a rebate, determining a rebate value based on the purchase transaction and the rebate, activating a rebate value in a rebate card account associated with a rebate card based on the determining action, and delivering the rebate card to a customer of the one or more products during the purchase transaction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for using a rebate card with an identifier comprising:
 receiving a request to activate the rebate card at a central processor, the request received in response to a first purchase transaction for one or more products or services eligible for a rebate; 
 activating the rebate card by associating a rebate value in a rebate card account associated with the rebate card; 
 determining if one or more of the products or services eligible for a rebate have been returned or cancelled and responsive to a determination that one or more of the products or services eligible for a rebate have not been returned or cancelled, activating the rebate value associated with the rebate card at the central processor thereby making the rebate value in the rebate card account available for use. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 receiving a request to apply funds from the rebate account to a second purchase transaction; and 
 reducing a balance of the rebate card account by an amount applied to the second purchase transaction. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the funds from the rebate account will only be applied to the second purchase transaction if the second purchase transaction take place at a particular retailer. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the particular retailer was a party to the first purchase transaction. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the funds from the rebate account will only be applied to the second purchase transaction if the second purchase transaction is from a particular manufacturer or service provider. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 associating information from the second purchase transaction with the previous purchase transaction information. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 delivering the rebate card to the customer as part of the purchase transaction by physically delivering the rebate card to the customer at the location of the purchase transaction. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 delivering the rebate card to the customer as part of the purchase transaction by shipping the rebate card to the customer with one or more products purchased during the purchase transaction. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether the purchase transaction qualifies for a rebate at a location where the purchase transaction takes place. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 associating purchase transaction information with the rebate account. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 transmitting the associated purchase transaction information to a manufacturer of the one or more products.